Bookkeeping device



A. J. BICKEL BOOKKEEPING DEVICE Agg. 11, 1953 2 sneets;sheet 1 Filed Dec. 19, 1949 Q ou 0% moo ZIA:J M.

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Aug. ll, 1953 A. J. BlcKEL 2,648,547

BOOKKEEPING DEVICE Filed Dec. 19, 1949 n 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 56 jg A L k W fn y EN fr fZ/ZZZI? jzvg w i m jj b l/ JZ- M 7 HQE/5 Patented Aug. 11, 1953 BOOKKEEPING DEVICE Arthur J. Bickel, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Accounting Forms, Inc., a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 19, 1949, Serial No. 133,858

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a bookkeeping device and more particularly to a device for maintaining a plurality of superimposed bookkeeping forms in relatively adjusted, aligned position so that a bookkeeping entry may be recorded upon each of the forms from a single entry made on the. uppermost of the forms.

The instant application is a continuation in part of my earlier led, co-pending application entitled Bookkeeping Device, Serial No. 732,402, led in the United States Patent Oce on March 5 1947, now Patent No. 2,549,956, is- Sued April 24, 1951 and assigned to the assignee of the instant application.

Various forms of bookkeeping devices have been heretofore provided for the purpose of simplifying the entry of bookkeeping indicia upon a plurality of superimposed, aligned accounting forms. However, such devices have proved gen-1 erally unsatisfactory for a number of reasons, including the initial expense of such devices and complexity of the procedure of aligning the forms and making the requisite entries. Also, the prior art devices generally have not accurately positioned the forms in the desired position and have not maintained the forms in such position Without interference with normal use of the.

forms.` The present invention now provides a simple, inexpensively manufactured, readily em- P105/ed devicel for e'ectively maintaining a plurality of forms in a desired position.

The device of the present invention comprises generally a posting board having one surface adapted for the reception of a bookkeeping form, :such as a ledger page. A clamping assembly extends along one marginal edge of the posting board, the assembly providing means for maintaining not only the ledger page but a plurality of forms superimposed thereon in position on the posting board. The assembly may suitably include a plurality of superimposed clamping plates having terminal edges for engaging a corresponding portion of the posting board, the plate edges being resiliently urged thereagainst by spring means interposed between the plate and the board outside the Working area of the board. The clamping plates are hinged together and to the board so that the plates may be simultaneously or individually removed from contact with the board Working surface to permit selective insertion and removal of the forms from clamped position` The advantages residing in the present invention will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. and include. the. ready installation and removal of blank forms, the selective clamping action of the clamping plates, and the positive hinged interconnection of the plates for cooperative movement as desired. The exibility of this arrangement and the ease of its employment Will be self-evident.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention to provide an improved bookkeeping device in which a plurality of superimposed blank forms are maintained in a desired position upon the posting board for the entry of `indicia upon each of the forms.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved bookkeeping device including a posting board and a plurality of coacting clamping plates resiliently urged against the board to maintain blank accounting forms in position thereon.

An additional important object of the present invention is to provide an improved accounting device in which a plurality of clamping members are hinged together for movement towards and away from a posting board to maintain a plurality of accounting forms in aligned position upon the board.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide an improved accounting device including a posting board adapted to receive a plurality of accounting forms against one surface thereof, a clamping member for maintaining certain of said forms in position on the board, a second clamping member for maintaining additional iorms in position on the board, and means innerconnecting the clamping members for pivoting movement relative to one another and to the board for permitting the ready installation and removal of the accounting forms.

Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide an accounting board in which a plurality of clamping members are urged against a posting board,y the' members being hinged together for relative independent and joint pivoting movement, with means being provided for resiliently biasing the clamping mem-y bers against the board to maintain the clamped forms thereon in aligned position.

, Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures' in the specication and the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure l is a plan elevational view with parts. broken away illustrating the employment of a bookkeeping device oi the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the plane III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional View similar to Figure 3 illustrating the position of certain elements of the device upon relative movement thereof;

Figure 5 is a sectional View similar to Figure 4 illustrating the position of certain elements of the device upon further movement thereof; and

Figure 6 is a sectional View, with parts shown in elevation, taken along the plane VI-V'I of Figure 1.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure l, reference numeral I0 refers generally to a bookkeeping device of the present invention including a generally rectangular posting board II and a clamping assembly I2 secured to one marginal portion of the board I I.

More particularly, the clamping assembly I2 includes an elongated stop bar I3 extending across substantially the entire width of the board II and secured to the upper surface thereof by suitable means, as by screws I4. Additional screw holes I4a are provided to accommodate longitudinal adjustment of the stop bar I3. A hinge plate I6 is also secured to the board II to extend thereacross parallel to the stop bar I3. A hinge leaf I1 abuts the upper surface of the hinge support I6 and is secured thereto by means of a screw I8 which also serves to maintain the hinge plate I6 in xed position upon the board II. The hinge leaf I1 is pivotally secured to a second hinge leaf I9 by means of a pintle 20 which extends into the double-back end portions of the conventional hinge'leaves I1 and I9. An inner hinged clamping plate 22 is secured to the hinge leaf I9 intermediate the end of the plate by means of a rivet 23.

A second hinge leaf 24 is secured to that surface of the hinge plate 22 opposite the hinge leaf I9 by the rivet 23, and to a second hinge leaf 25 by means of a pintle 26 identical with the pintle hereinbefore described. The hinge leaf 25 is seV cured to an outer clamping plate 21 by means of a rivet 28.

It will thus be seenl that the clamping plates 22 and 21 are thus secured together for relative pivoting movement about spaced pivoting points determined by the pintles 26 and 26. The plates are maintained in superimposed spaced relation to the board II adjacent a marginal portion of the board so as to extend across the width of the board Without interfering with the working surface thereof. The hinges may be coextensive with the length of the plate or separate hinges spaced along the length of the plate may be employed.

The inner marginal portion of the plate 21 is deflected downwardly and inwardly, as at 30, towards the board II and a strip 3| of a suitable transparent plastic material, such as methylmethacrylate or the like, is secured to the downturned edge portion 3|] by suitable means, as by rivets 32. That edge portion of the plate 22 opposite the downturned edge portion 30 is notched, as at 33, at spaced position along its length for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described, and those portions of the plate 22 intermediate the notches 33 each carry a dependent post 34 riveted or otherwise secured to the plate and entered axially in the reduced end of a frusto-coni- -cal helical coil spring 35 confined between the plate 22 and the board II. Each of the springs 35 thus urges the plate 22 about the pintle 20 into resilient engagement with the posting board II. A screw 36 is received by the plate 22 adjacent the post 34 to extend thereabove toward the outer plate 24 for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described.

The marginal portion of the upper plate 21 overlying the deflected portion 30 of the inner plate 22 is likewise deilected downwardly, as at 31. The deflected portion 31 carries along the length thereof an edge strip 38 of transparent plastic material similar to the material 3| hereinbefore described, the strip 38 being confined between the downturned portion 31 of the plate 21 and a separate edge strip 39 secured to the plate 21 by suitable means as by a rivet 40 extending through the strip 38. It will be seen that the strips 3I and 38 engage transversely spaced portions of the plate 3| with the contact portions of the strip being parallel and extending across substantially the entire width of the board as illustrated in Figure 1.

A plurality of depending posts 42 are carried by the plate 21 adjacent said margin thereof opposite the downturned portion 31. The posts '42 are positioned to be vertically aligned with the edge apertures 33 of the plate 22 and laterally aligned with the posts 34 of the plate `22. A frusto-conical helical coil spring 43 surrounds each of the posts 42 and is conned between the plate 21 and the board II to resiliently urge the plate 21 about the pintle 26 into resilient engagement with the board I I. y

A guide rod 44 extends along the length of the plate 21 immediately adjacent that end remote from the strip 33, the rod being secured to the plate 21 by suitable means, as by screws 45. A stop screw 48 is positioned adjacent each extreme end of the guide rod 44 and a slide 49 is provided with a terminal, generally semi-cylindrical housing 49 partially encircling the rod 44 and guided therealong for movement. An indicating finger 50 is formed integrally with the housing 49 and extends therefrom to overlie the plate 21 in spaced relation thereto into sliding contact with the inturned marginal edge 5I of the member 39. The indicating finger 50 is employed in conjunction with an indicia bearing card 52 which is inserted within spaced parallel guide ways defined by the upper surface of the plate 21 and the guide rod 44, and the upper surface of the plate 21 and the inturned marginal portion 5I of the plate 39, respectively. The finger is thus journalled by the guide rod 44 for movement along the card 52 and along the length of the plate 21.

The device hereinbefore described may be employed for a variety of bookkeeping operations, as for example in connection with the prepara-` tion of a pay roll. In the embodiment of the invention as shown in Figure 1, reference character A refers to a pay roll summary sheet on which a master roll of employees is inscribed together with columns providing space for entry of earnings, deductions, net pay, and other indicia pertaining to the pay of each individual. Reference numeral B refers to the individual pay roll record of each employee also bearing space for the reception of indicia relating to the earnings, deductions, net pay and the like of the individual. Reference character C refers to the individuals'pay roll check bearing at its upper edgemarginal indicia relating to the earnings, deductions, net pay, etc., which forms a record given to the employee with his check. The upper marginal strip of the check C is perforated so as to be readily separable, and the strip bears on its back side a carbon transfer medium. radditional,carbon transfer ,lin use, ,the left hand marginal 4portion of the pay roll master sheet A is inserted nnder the strip 3J Y,carried .by the inner clamping plate 22 the sheet A being inserted into abutment with .the stop t3, Any indicia adjacent vthe Aclamped margin of the .sheet A is readily visible through the transparent strips :31 and 38 .of :the .plates 22 and 21 resppcitively.

Next, the sheets B and C .are inserted beneath strip 3B and are maintained in position therein ,se as .overlie the master .sheet A. Each of the sheets A and B is provided with numerical indicia adjacent the left hand margin and this `cia ,is visible through the transparent strips y3l and 38 and permits the ready alignment of the sheet, with the sheet C being inserted over the other two sheets so that an entry upon the check is also recorded upon the sheets A and B.

The mechanical operation of the device l is illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5. It will be seen that upon initially depressing the member 21 in the action of the coil spring 43, the edge of the strip 38 is lifted from its engagement with the board l l or with the sheet C, as the case may be. Upon further depression of the plate 21, the under surface of the plate engages the stop screw 35 carried by the inner plate 22 so that continued depression of the plate 21 Will depress the corresponding portion of the plate 22 against the action of the spring 35. The posts 34 serve to limit movement of the plates against the respective springs by abutting the posting board Il. The stop I3 positions the sheet A on the board Il, while the edge of the strip 3| which is parallel to the stop I3 serves as a stop for the sheets B and C.

It Will, therefore, be seen that the present invention provides an improved bookkeeping or accounting device in which a plurality of superimposed accounting forms may be maintained in position upon a posting board Il by means of a clamping assembly l2. The assembly includes a plurality of clamping plates 22 and 21 which are capable of individual or joint movement to permit the positioning of sheets between the plates and the boards for later clamping therebetween. In addition, one of the clamping plates may be moved to a limited degree without disturbing the other plate so as to permit the selective removal of one or more of a plurality of sheets.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention,

I claim as my invention:

l. A bookkeeping record comprising a posting board having a plane upper surface adapted to receive a plurality of accounting records having marginal indicia thereon, a rst clamping plate extending along one side margin of the board in spaced relation to said upper surface and having a transparent depending marginal portion providing a straight edge for coaction with said upper surface to retain a first record thereon with its indicia Visible through the transparent marginal portion, means pivotally connecting said first plate andl said? board. resilient means interposed between said rstplate and said board: to

urge said edge toward said board, a second; plate also extending along the margin of said. board in spaced: relation to: said first plate andl having a transparentY depending marginal portion providing a straight edge for coactionf. with said upper surface in spacedA parallel relation to said rst plate edge for contacting a secondv accounting record with the marginal indicia thereof and the marginal indicia of said firstrecord. being visible throughthe transparent4 marginal portionsl of said plates, means pivotally connecting said second plate to saidiirst plate, and resilient means confined between said second plate andr said board for urging*4 the edge portionl of said second plate` into contact. with said boardv surface.

2. A bookkeeping device comprising a posting board, a pair of vertically spaced superimposed generally parallel clamping plates pivotally secured to one another and to said board in spaced relation tothe upper surface of saidv board, said plates each having one dependent marginal edge extending toward the upper surface of said board and an opposing marginal portion, said opposing marginal portion of the lower of said plates underlying the corresponding portion of the upper of said plates and having apertures spaced along the length thereof, coil springs resiliently confined between the lower of said plates and the upper surface of said board for urging the dependent marginal edge of said lower plate into contact with the upper surface of said board, said springs contacting said opposing marginal portion of said lower plate intermediate said apertures, and independent additional coil springs resiliently conned between the opposing marginal portion of the upper plate and the upper surface of said board and projecting through the apertures of said lower plate for resiliently urging the depending edge of the upper plate into contact with said board.

3. A bookkeeping device, comprising: a posting board, a first clamping member having a marginal edge portion adapted to retain a record on said board, rst hinge means between said board and an intermediate portion of said first clamping member parallel to said marginal edge portion thereof, rst compression spring means between said rst clamping member and said board for urging said marginal edge portion thereof toward said board, a second clamping member overlying said rst clamping member and having a depending marginal edge portion adapted to retain a record on said board, second hinge means connecting an intermediate portion of said second clamping member to said first clamping member adjacent said intermediate portion thereof, and second compression spring means between said second clamping member and said board for urging said depending marginal edge portion thereof toward said board.

4. A bookkeeping device, comprising: a posting board, a first generally rectangular plate disposed in spaced relation over a portion of said board, rst clamp means along one edge of said first plate arranged for resiliently clamping a record to said board, rst hinge means securing an intermediate portion of said rst plate to said board for pivotal movement of said first plate about a rst axis parallel to said one edge of said first plate, compression spring means between said rst plate and said board on the side of said axis removed from said one edge of said plate to thereby urge said clamping means to- 7 Ward said board, a second generally rectangular plate superimposed in spaced relation over said first plate, second clamping means along one edge of said second plate arranged for resiliently clamping a record to said board and spaced a distance from said first axis greater than the distance from said rst axis to said rst clamping means so that said rst clamping means acts as an edge guide in clamping records to said board with said second clamping means, second hinge means securing an intermediate portion of said second plate to said rst plate for pivotal movement about a second axis generally parallel to and above said rst axis, compression spring means engaging said board and engaging the underside of said second plate on the side of said rst and second axes removed from said clamping means, and stop means between said rst and `second plates on the side of said axes removed from said clamping means arranged for movement of only said second clamping means away from said board with pressures up to a predetermined pressure applied to the portion of said second plate on the side of said axes removed from said 8 clamping means and for movement of both of said clamping means away from said board with a substantially greater pressure applied to said portion of said second plate.

ARTHUR J. BICKEL.

References Cited in the file of this patent 'UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,602,767 I-Iaberfeld Oct. 12, 1926 1,658,499 Stevens Feb. 7, 1928 1,669,809 Card May 15, 1928 2,095,562 Carson Oct. 12, 193.7 2,338,532 Page Jan. 4, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 105,006 Switzerland May 16, 192,4 494,602 Germany Apr. 2, 1930 282,345 Italy Feb. 9, 1931 121,854 Austria Mar. 25, 1931 914,540 France June 17, 1946 246,482 Switzerland Jan. 15, 1947 

